Bridgetown, April 16 (RHC) CARICOM member countries called for the lifting of U.S. sanctions against Cuba and Venezuela, as all countries must be part of the global effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The call was made during the urgent Summit, held by videoconference and convened by Barbados, the country holding the pro tempore presidency of the bloc, which addressed the health situation, food security and protection of the elderly from the disease, as well as the restoration of activities after the epidemic.

To help in the fight against the pathogen, Cuba is carrying out solidarity work through its Henry Reeve Brigade contingents, which specialize in disasters and serious epidemics.

CARICOM countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are now counting on them. 

Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas and Haiti, maintain Cuban medical brigades, which at present also care for patients with coronavirus.

The pandemic is reporting more than 1,500 Covid-19 patients in the region, a figure that may rise.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)